Torpedo.



' M. LARSEN.

TOBPEDO.

v APPLIGAIION nun JULY 1, 1909;

Patented Nov, 16, 1909 f-4 ATTORNEYS 4 time.

51b .allfluliofn damn concern: I

E ATENT, oF Ion.

i 'ivranrrnusrsnnsniv, or New YORK, N. Y.

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.Be it known that I, Mxn'rixt's Lenses, a

new and useful Improven'ients in Torpedoes, of'wlnch thefollowing 1s aclear. full, and

I xact description The'object of this invention is toprovide annnprovedlgnltion means fora torpedo for sub-mar ne work. 1

' 1 The main'object-of the invention isto prov1de an ignltionmechanlsnrwhich cannot be exploded by-"accidental handling on shipboardor elsewhere, but which can only be I fired, when in the water, and whenin the water can only-be fired upon the torpedo striking an obstructionsuch as the side of .a

. vimmediately -capsule for'containing the chemical. Fig. 2

vessel, a

In carrying out the invention, I locatethe chemical ignitible when incontact. with- Water, preferablyin a glass tube, from which the air isexhausted, .to keep the chemical in .25 a perfect state of preservation,so that at anytime even months after the completion of thetube, .theichemical will be ready for ignition as soon as wateris placed in;contact therewith. In some instances I; prefer to place within the tubecontaining-the chemical gun cott'on to absolutely insure explosion uponthe strikingof an object by a torpedo. In the accompanying drawings,-Figurel is asimilar view of atube, in which gun cotton is alsoinserted. Fig.. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation,of the end of a torpedo, equipped with my improved mechanism. 'Fig. 4isa View of the plug of Fig. 3' as it should appear after striking anobstruction. Fig. 5 is a view of a plug of a modified form for use withthe chemical and gun powder tube or capsule of Fig. 2.

.As shown in the drawings, the torpedo shell 13 is threaded at 14 toaccommodate plug 10.' .The plug 10 is formed with two chambers; achamberlO having a restricted.

orifice 12 communicating-with a chamber 171 .i having an elongatedsleeve 11 open to interior of thetor'pedo, which sleeve ispreferablylooselyfilled with gun cotton. 15. The

maybe soldered inplace or electro plated to Specification of LettersPatent.

" due to the absence of water.

the plug, as shown at 9, and with an apertured pocket 8 in that part ofthe impact im- Patented N0v. 16, 1 909. Application filed July 1, 1909.Serial No. 505,354. I I

I insure a tight fit- The plug 7 is formed with a beveled outer end ofgreater diameter than citizen of. the United States, residing atBrooklymin the county of Kings, city and 1 State of New York, haveinvented certain pelled plug 7, which extends outside of the plug 10. -The interior. of-the plug 7 is cenplug 7 is preferably of less diameterthan the chamber 16 in the plug 10.

If the torpedojbe roughly handled on shipboard so that the striking plug7 will be thrown inward, the glass tube 1 will be broken, but thepotassium will remain inert On the other hand,if the plug 7, after thesubmerging of the torpedo; strikes an object, water will be admitted bythe aperture or pocket 8, when the plug is in the position of big. 4,partially fill the chamber 16 so that the potassium trally bored toreceive the end of a capsule when the tube is broken, will come in con-'tact with the water,- the potassium'will become ignited, generate heatand steam in the chamber 16, which will force a flame of the potassiumthrough the orifice 12 directly upon the gun cotton, explode the same,and ignite the contents of the combustion chainber of the torpedo,

In the device shown-in Fig. 5, in place of ,the orifice 12, the chamber17, the 'sleeve 11 andthegun cotton 15, I insert the tube or capsuleshown in Fig. 2 into the chamber 16 before inserting the plug 7, so thattheend of the glass tube (3 will project outwardly from the chamber 16,leaving the bulbous end of the glass tube within the'chamber 16.

In the capsule shown in this figure gun cotton 4 separated by walls ofparaflin 5 and .6 from the free end of the tube. and from the potassium,is provided,

In the device of Figs. 5 and'2, the plug T,'

upon being projected inwardly, will strike and break the. bulbous end ofthe frangible-- capsuleprtube, the-water from the part 8 will ignite thepotassium, the flame. and heat ignite the gun cotton 4}, blow out the 6and the tube,3, and ignite the contents-of,

the combustion chamber of the torpedo,

I claim as'my invention: g "1. The herein described ignitiondevice for atorpedo, comprising a chamber containing a chemical which will ignite inthe presence lug a chamber, whereby upon the plug striking anobstruction water will be caused t0 enter the chamber from said pocket,an inclosing tube for said chemical, adapted to be broken upon impact ofthe torpedo;

:2. The herein described ignition device for a torpedo,comprising achamber containing a chemi -al whicl will ignite in the presence ofwater. a protruding movable plug for contact with bodies exterior to thetorpedo,

a pocket in the plug for water exterior to the chamber, whereby upon theplug striking an obstruction water will be caused to enter the chamberfrom said pocket, an inclosing tube for said chemical, adapted to bebrok en upon impact oi the torpedo, said inclosing tube ha vii'ig theair exhausted therefrom.

3. In a torpedo ignition device, a chamber having a chemical ignitiblein the presence of water, and an impact impelled mechanism movable intosaid chamber and formed to deliver a quantity of water of submersion tosaid chamber upon impact, said chemical being inclosed in a capsule,said impact impelled mechanism being adapted to break s'aid capsule.

i. In a torpedo ignition device,,,a chamber having a chemical ignitiblein the presence of water, and an impact impelled mechanism movablellll'trStlltl chambe' and termed to deliver a quantity ot water "ofsubmersion to said chamber upon impact, said chemical being inclosed -ma capsule, said impact 1mpolled mechanism being adapted to break saidcapsule, said capsule containing a vac- In an ignition device for atorpedo, a chamber having a chemical ignitible in the presence 01 water,said chemical being contained within a capsule, and a movable elementprojecting iromi said chamber, and movable thereinto by impact, saidelement being formed to provide a delivery of the limited quantity ofwater of submersion to said chamber during its movement under impact.

6. In a torpedo ignition device, a chamber having therewithin a chemicalignitible in the presence of water, a capsulecontaining said chemical,an explosive in said capsule, an impact impelled mechanism movable intosaid chamber and formedto deliver a limited quantity of water ofsubmersion to and to disrupt the capsule upon impact, an

of submersion to said chamber upon impact.

orifice from said chamber and an explosive in line with said orifice,whereby flames of ignition from the chemical will directly im-. pingeupon the explosive. v,

, 8. In a torpedo, an explosive charge, a chamber having a chemicalignitible in the presence of water, and an impact-impelled mechanismmovable into said chamber, and formed to deliver a limited quantity ofwater 9. In a torpedo, an explosive charge,a chamber having a chemicalignitible in the presence of 'water, and a movable element projectingfrom said chamber and movable thereinto by impact, saitl element beingformed to provide a delivery of a limited quantity of water ofsubmersion to said chamber during its movement ,under impact. 10. Theherein described torpedo, comprising the explosive charge, a.chamberc011- taining a chemical which will ignite in the presence of water, aprotruding plug for contact with bodies exterior. to the torpedo, apocket in the plug for water, said pocket being so arranged that uponthe plug strikingan obstruction, water will be caused to enter thechamber from said pocket.

11. The herein described torpedo comprising a casing and explosivecharge, an ignition plug having a chamber, a substance which will ignitein the presence of water in said chamber, a projecting rod for saidchamber, an opening from sa.id plug to the interior of 'the torpedo,said projecting rod extending from the torpedo, and carrying a waterpocket, said projecting rod being so designed that when itis pressedinwardly the water pocket will occupy a position with. in the chamber,and means for opening com-, munication between the chamber and theinterior of the torpedo upon the inward pressure of the protruding plug.j

12. The herein described torpedo comprising a casing and explosivecharge, anignition plug having a chamber, a substance .110 which v willignite in the presence of water in said chamber, a projecting rod forsaid, chamber, an opening from said plug to the. interior of thetorpedo, said projecting rod extending from the torpedo, and carrying awater pocket, said projecting rod being so designed that when it ispressed inwardly: the water pocket will occupy a position within thechamber, and means for opening -communication between the chamber andthe in terior of the torpedo upon the inward pres-j sure of theprotruding plug, said chemical being carried within a frangible air ex-;hausted tube.

Signed at New York city this 23rd day of125 June 1909.

A MARTINUS LARSEN.

Witnesses:

' F. WARREN WRIGHT,

- MABEL Drrrnnnonrnn.

